With a 65 percent approval rating, higher than Mayor Michael Bloomberg, City Council Speaker
Christine Quinn goes into the 2013 New York City mayoral election year with a commanding 32
percent of the Democratic Primary vote, more than the combined take of the other four known
candidates, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

Should Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair & CEO Joseph Lhota run for mayor
as a Republican, he loses to an unnamed Democratic candidate 60 - 9 percent, the independent
Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds.

If former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion runs on the Republican line, he also
loses 62 - 11 percent.

Chasing Speaker Quinn in a Democratic primary are:

Former City Comptroller William Thompson with 10 percent;

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio with 9 percent;

City Comptroller John Liu with 5 percent;

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer with 4 percent.

The survey was conducted before Stringer dropped out of the mayoral race.

"Okay, the race for the White House is over and it's time to look at the New York City
mayoral race, where the possibly decisive Democratic primary could be as early as June. The
morning line? City Council Speaker Christine Quinn leaves the other Democratic contenders in
the dust," said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

"Politics buffs are talking about MTA Chair Joseph Lhota and former Bronx Borough
President Adolfo Carrion as possible Republican contenders for the West Wing at City Hall, but
the public hasn't caught up with the pundits. Lhota and Carrion lose big to a generic Democrat."

New York City voters say 48 - 39 percent that Mayor Michael Bloomberg should not use
his personal wealth to support one of the candidates for mayor. Even Republicans say 51 - 39
percent that Bloomberg should keep his money out of the race.

"Should Mayor Michael Bloomberg spend some of his zillions to try to elect the next
mayor? More New Yorkers say no," Carroll said.

New York City voters approve 62 - 31 percent of the way New York City police are
doing their job, but disapprove 53 - 42 percent of the Police Department's stop-and-frisk tactic.
White voters approve of stop-and-frisk 55 - 39 percent, but disapproval is 70 - 28 percent
among black voters and 64 - 33 percent among Hispanic voters.

From November 14 - 18, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,165 New York City voters
with a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points. Live interviewers call land lines and cell
phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia
and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more data or RSS feed- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, call (203) 582-5201, or follow
us on Twitter.

1. (If Registered Democrat) If the 2013 Democratic primary for Mayor were being held today, and the candidates were Scott Stringer, John Liu, Christine Quinn, William Thompson, and Bill de Blasio, for whom would you vote?

TREND: (If Registered Democrat) If the 2013 Democratic primary for Mayor were being held today, and the candidates were: Scott Stringer, John Liu, Christine Quinn, William Thompson, and Bill de Blasio, for whom would you vote?

16. As you may know, there is a police practice known as stop and frisk, where police stop and question a person they suspect of wrongdoing and, if necessary, search that person. Do you approve or disapprove of this police practice?

TREND: As you may know, there is a police practice known as stop and frisk, where police stop and question a person they suspect of wrongdoing and, if necessary, search that person. Do you approve or disapprove of this police practice?

TREND: Do you think that if the police reduced the number of stop and frisks there would be an increase in gun violence or don't you think that would happen? (*Aug 16 ...increase in gun violence or not")

Nov 21 Aug 16
2012 2012*
Yes 37 41
No 52 50
DK/NA 11 9

18. Which comes closer to your view; A)The police should take all steps necessary to prevent crime in New York City even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated, or B)The police should take steps to prevent crime but not if those would violate your basic civil liberties?

TREND: Which comes closer to your view; A)The police should take all steps necessary to prevent crime in New York City even if it means your basic civil liberties would be violated, or B)The police should take steps to prevent crime but not if those would violate your basic civil liberties?